Brit jet in terror plunge

Bosses at budget airline Ryanair today denied that oxygen masks failed when a jet packed with British holidaymakers suddenly plummeted 22,000ft.

Experts are now investigating why flight FR9336 from Bristol to Barcelona in Spain suddenly dropped from 30,000ft to 8,000ft - losing air pressure in the cabin and forcing the panic-stricken passengers to use their air masks.

Arctic explorer Pen Hadow's son Wilf, nine, was among 16 of the 168 on board taken to hospital when the plane made an emergency landing in Paris.

He described a "loud and unnerving sound" as the cabin pressure dropped.

He added: "I knew it wasn't an engine problem. There was a sudden drop in temperature and a rush of cold air. You think to yourself 'God, is there a hole in the aircraft?'

"It actually felt like someone had opened a door at the back of the aircraft. It was incredibly cold.

"The next thing the oxygen masks were dropping. My highest priority was to get a mask on to my son who was sitting next to me in a bemused and frightened state.

"We were descending for about five minutes from what I assume was 30,000 or 40,000ft to 8,000ft. As we landed we saw fire engines every quarter of a mile down the runway.

"It was obvious to me that there was depressurisation in the cabin but there was no announcement and no evidence of the cabin crew for most of this experience. Why on earth didn't they give a few more calming words to the passengers?"

Mr Hadow said a number of oxygen masks inside the cabin had failed to inflate.

He said: "Mine wasn't filling up with oxygen and neither was my son's. He was hyperventilating. I looked at the lady on my left and hers hadn't filled up either.

"From where I was sitting I could see about 20 masks and only a few of them were inflating. It was extremely variable as to who got oxygen in their masks, and the cabin crew didn't seem to know what to do."

Passengers who suffered ear problems after the plane descended quickly before diverting to a French airport were finally completing their journey to Girona in Spain by coach.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said the masks had worked normally and the cockpit crew had made an announcement after bringing the plane down to safer levels.

Later, Ryanair said its engineers had confirmed the masks were working properly after inspecting the plane.

Mr O'Leary said: "The oxygen masks were working, the correct safety procedures were followed."

Defending the crew's actions, he said it was not possible for them to make an announcement about the situation because safety regulations meant the pilots and cabin staff had to don oxygen masks themselves.

He added: "The first thing we do in these situation is divert to safety, take the safety first option. We have to require that the pilots and the cabin crew also deploy their oxygen masks.

"They can't be making passenger announcements when they have their oxygen masks on. As the passengers confirmed, the pilot did make an announcement once he got down to 8,000ft, where it is safe to take the oxygen masks off, that they were diverting to Limoges."

Ryanair said 16 passengers, accompanied by five family members had gone to a local hospital at Limoges complaining of earache.

Most passengers were flown on to Girona overnight in a replacement plane. Those who had gone to hospital plus 18 who had chosen not to take the overnight flight left Limoges for Spain by coach just before 12 noon UK time today.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: "Ryanair's engineers have inspected the aircraft overnight and have confirmed that the oxygen masks which deployed were working properly. The Irish and French aviation authorities have been notified of this incident and a full investigation of this incident will be undertaken later today.

"The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, is five years old and was last serviced on July 24. The captain of the flight has flown with Ryanair for five years and seven months and has over 13,400 hours' flying experience.

"While this investigation is ongoing with the French and Irish authorities Ryanair will not comment further on this incident."